Hannemann was right about city budget

While I might have questioned former Honolulu City Council Chairman Mufi Hannemann's views on the city budget in the past, it has become apparent that he was right on target.

To Mayor Harris, I say, "Shame on you for not being truthful about our city finances." To now miraculously come up with $23 million, which you never offered before despite City Councilman John Henry Felix's efforts to work cooperatively with you, is beyond belief.

How insulting to taxpayers, who will be seeing their real property taxes being raised, that no one from the new Council majority is taking the time to question spending at City Hall. In fact, they are actually adding to the mayor's submittals, both in operating and capital budgets.

Dhaun Akiona

John Reed was asset to tourism authority

This state owes a debt of gratitude to John Reed, who recently resigned as chairman of the Hawaii Tourism Authority (HTA). He brought energy, dedication and even a sense of fun to the difficult and sometimes tedious work of the HTA.

At a recent meeting, Reed toiled all day with other HTA members to determine a general direction for its strategic plan. Only after the work was done, after an eight-hour session, did he announce his decision to resign.

John Reed leaves the HTA after having played a significant role in developing its plan and direction. Implementation still lies ahead, but the HTA is moving in the right direction.

Seiji F. Naya
Director Department of Business,
Economic Development & Tourism

Concern over spying is not Asian bashing

Columnist Emil Guillermo must think a bit harder about what he writes in his weekly column.

In his June 3 "Asian Persuasion" commentary, Guillermo attempts to focus attention on the growing anti-Asian sentiment in America. However, in doing so, he makes the asinine statement that U.S. nuclear missile technology is "so advanced," that "it doesn't matter" that China has nuclear missiles.

He further asserts that "less than two dozen" nuclear missiles pose no threat to national security. It's too bad that Guillermo forgets that all it takes is a single nuclear weapon to irradicate an island population like ours.

In his zeal to bolster the Asian pride movement, Guillermo glosses over the real horrors of a nuclear strike. Asian pride is not about defending a breach of security in a nuclear laboratory, but about building a strong, active and vocal community of Asian Americans.

Guillermo should stick to fighting racial bigotry and not make light of the real threat of stolen thermonuclear weapons technology.

Kevin Yim
Via the Internet

Quotables "I like knowing I made a difference in people's lives. I'd rather see somebody happy than walk away and do nothing. Even just to make them laugh -- you could be saving their life." Eveline Uli FARRINGTON HIGH GRADUATE On how her community service to others, including peers at Kalihi Valley Homes Hall, led to her win a $1,000 Star-Bulletin outstanding achievement award "We got the idea from a friend on the mainland who did the same thing. Seemed cool. A fun way to start the summer." Danny Levey PUNAHOU SOPHOMORE Who, along with fellow classmate Eric Lam, is trying to stay awake for 100 hours to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House

Public must save historic hula show

Our state should have been prepared with some back-up funding for the world-famous Kodak Hula Show, the best free show I have ever seen. Kodak can decide to pull out, but why should the people of Hawaii agree to go along and give up on the show?

Let's display some aloha and work on keeping the show where it belongs.

Ray Richards
Via the Internet

Only Mortimer can save school from closing

The UH School of Public Health is running out of time to save itself from the final stages of a slow, painful death at the hands of President Mortimer. Desperation has led to starvation to keep the doors open and still, unbelievably, there is no response from the university.

Maybe the administration doesn't realize how important a role public health plays in everyday life. Unfortunately, its full effect is not realized until personal or community tragedy occurs.

Please, President Mortimer, sign the agreements on your desk, and let the students and faculty of the school once again focus on learning and community service, without the fear of having no place to go next semester.

Karen B. Chesbrough
Student, School of Public Health
University of Hawaii-Manoa
Ewa Beach
Via the Internet

UH School of Public Health

Funding help is here for small business

SCOR(E) one for Hawaii, finally. With the recent passage of HB 2470 in the Legislature, Hawaii has become the last state in the nation to adopt SCOR (Small Corporate Offering Registration), a uniform registration system that allows a company to raise up to $1 million per year by selling common stock directly to the public.

SCOR was developed by the SEC in 1992 to help small businesses gain easier and less expensive access to equity capital, while meeting all SEC requirements. The SCOR bill was originally introduced in Hawaii in 1998 by then Rep. Gene Ward, and was reintroduced this year by Rep. Robert Herkes.

Small-business owners now have no excuse and can't simply rely on the phrase, "Show me the money." SCOR is now in their bag of management tools, which will allow them to raise the money themselves.

Sanford W. Friedman
Via the Internet

Bishop Estate should be dissolved

This Bishop Estate mess is disgusting. Here we have a whole population of native Hawaiians, politically disenfranchised and predominantly low-income, and the very people who were supposed to govern with their best interests in mind raided the chicken coop.

When are the people who are supposed to benefit from this trust actually going to benefit?

Maybe the Bishop Estate should be dissolved and distributed to qualified Hawaiians, who are living hand to mouth in public housing.

Leilani Haywood
Columbia, Mo.
Via the Internet

Bishop Estate Archive

Legislature Directory
Hawaii Revised Statutes

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